"They had a very fine day for Box Hill; and all the other outward circumstances of arrangement, accommodation, and punctuality, were in favour of a pleasant party."
It was a good first try at this event. We enjoyed good food, great conversation, and a pleasant day in this new urban forest in Decatur. John and Erin dramatized the 'Badly done, Emma!' for us. Leatrice shared research on what people actually had on picnics in Jane Austen's time.
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Why is the Box Hill Picnic considered the pivotal scene in Emma? --
"It will not do," whispered Frank to Emma, "they are most of them affronted. I will attack them with more address. Ladies and gentlemen,I am ordered by Miss Woodhouse to say, that she waves her right of knowing exactly what you may all be thinking of, and only requires something very entertaining from each of you, in a general way. Here are seven of you, besides myself, (who, she is pleased to say, am very entertaining already,) and she only demands from each of you either one thing very clever, be it prose or verse, original or repeated -- or two things moderately clever -- or three things very dull indeed, and she engages to laugh heartily at them all."
"Oh! very well," exclaimed Miss Bates, "then I need not be uneasy. 'Three things very dull indeed.' That will just do for me, you know. I shall be sure to say three dull things as soon as ever I open my mouth, shan't I? (looking round with the most good-humoured dependence on every body's assent) Do not you all think I shall?"
Emma could not resist. "Ah! ma'am, but there may be a difficulty. Pardon me, but you will be limited as to number -- only three at once."
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John and Erin dramatize 'Badly done, Emma!' scene...
Renata and Mary
The meats table....
Leatrice share research on Regency era picnics
...listening to the dramatization.
